There was a silence from the other end. I knew how implausible this must sound. I was a stranger to Lynne and the Cameron family. Finally Hunter said in a low tone, “How do you know all this?”
“When we came up from Florida to see the show, I witnessed Haines in action. He’s not a psychopath but he looks like a crazy egomaniac to me. Those types think they can reach out and grab whatever they want. And believe me, this man wants your sister.”
He sounded a tad warmer. “I’ll have this checked out. If what you say is true…”
“I have two sisters myself. I’d certainly want to know if someone was threatening them.” I hoped that made my strange phone call sound a little more reasonable to him.
“Is this the number I can reach you that’s showing on my phone?”
“Yes, sir.”
By now he wasn‘t sounding exactly chummy, but he did sound as if he believed me. “I realize it took guts to make this call and I thank you.”
“She needs a bodyguard.”
“Trust me, I’ll see to it.”
Hunter swung around and looked out at the New York cityscape that lay outside his gigantic window. The jagged unevenness of the buildings was always the same. He derived satisfaction from the sameness of the city. Buildings were his business…along with people. He prided himself on being able to read people. It wasn’t as easy over the phone, but still…this guy didn’t sound like a crackpot.
“Julia. Will you look up the file on the renovation we’re scheduled to do on that theater down in Florida? Just check and see if the president of the board’s name is Jake Rutledge. He didn’t mention the connection, but I don’t know how he would have this number otherwise.”
“Yes, sir,” She came back with the file in her hand. “The name is Jake Rutledge, just as you said.”
“Did we run a background check on him?”
“Yes.” Julia put the file on his desk and rustled through a few papers. “He owns a two hundred thousand acre ranch in Florida and runs about twenty-eight thousand head of cattle, give or take a few. His is mostly a cow-calf operation. He’s been in the area all his life and is reportedly a millionaire. His father died when he was a teenager and he‘s been running the ranch ever since.”
So. Hunter had something in common with Jake Rutledge. “Does he have a sister?”
“He has two. Leslie who’s eighteen and Laura who’s sixteen.”
“Sounds like a sterling character with his hands full. Married?”
“Divorced. First wife got a hefty settlement.”
“Give whoever compiled this a raise. And find out who it was and tell him I want a dossier on Richard Haines.”
Lynne
I was in my dressing room preparing for the Tuesday night show when I got a text from Hunter. Sending Joe Palermo to see you home.
I didn’t want to know how Hunter had found out about Richard. I sent back: Don’t do that. Joe needs to spend the night with his family. I can handle this.
Don’t argue with me. If you won’t have Joe, then I’m coming.
All right, you win. Send Joe. But you and I are going to have a talk later.
I’ll look forward to it.
My brother always thought he was right. And he usually was.
I was seven when my father died. Hunter became my surrogate father. He’d been a pain when I was a teenager, vetting my dates, making sure I was home before midnight. My other two brothers, Alex and Justin, were just as bad. I’d resented it then. Still, I always knew my brothers wanted the best for me. Now, at the age of twenty nine, I considered myself fortunate to have those three big lugs for brothers. I could count on any one of them to come up trumps if I needed anything, even though they were all married now and had families of their own.
How had Hunter been tipped off about Richard? I’d been so careful not to let my apprehension show when I talked with any of the family.
It was a relief to go on stage. As always, the first act went without a hitch. The second act was just as smooth and when I sang the final song, all my thoughts were on maintaining my character. I’d blown Richard completely out of my mind. But when I returned to my dressing room after the final curtain bow, there he was. Fool that I am, I hadn’t thought to take his name off the guest list. He sat in his favorite spot, my reclining chair.
“You need to leave, Richard. I have to get changed.”
“Go ahead. I won’t mind watching.” His smile was unctuous. Suave and smooth, that’s what he thought he was. More like a grinning crocodile circling its prey.
“Please leave. Now.” I was as cold and unfriendly as I knew how to be. A normal man would not have stood for my icy manner.
He rose out of the chair. I couldn’t believe he was actually going to do as I asked. “I’ll leave,” he said, “on one condition. That you meet me outside the theater and go to dinner with me.”
“The sooner you go, the sooner I‘ll be out,” I said sweetly, my insides churning.
He rose and came to kiss me. Trying not to look as repulsed as I felt, I moved away, saying, “You’d better not. I still have my microphone on. If the sound man hasn‘t turned it off, he can hear everything you say.”
He moved back. “I’ll wait. It will make the waiting all the sweeter to anticipate our first kiss.”
When he left, Millie came in the door. “Not only is he crazy, he’s hammy with it.”
“Why didn’t you come in?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt you.”
“I wanted to be interrupted. Undo me, will you?” Millie undid the ties at the shoulders and I stepped free. That gown weighed ten pounds and it was always a relief to be out from under it. I stripped off my microphone and Millie fetched the back pack out of my bra. I took off the leotard that I wore to protect the dress from my perspiration, acting was a sweaty business under the lights, and got into my regulation uniform for going to and from the theater, t-shirt, jeans, sneakers and a hoodie.
“You look like a teenage boy,” Millie grumbled. “You’re getting skinnier every day.”
I couldn’t tell her that worry over Richard had made me lose my appetite. “It’s an illusion,” I said, smiling to cover up my nerves. “It’s just because I’m tall.”
“You are that,” Millie said. “Are you really going to meet that Armani dressed piece of slime?”
“Why, Millie. What a way with words you have. No, I’m really not going to meet him. When I get out on the street, my brother has a bodyguard waiting for me.”
“I thought you must have a plan. Hope your bodyguard knocks that character’s teeth in.”
“Uh,uh. No rough stuff. Joe will get me into a cab and get me away before the aforesaid piece of slime knows what happened.”
“Well, good luck to you. I’ve seen characters like him in action before. He’s like a greedy little boy who thinks he can reach out and grab any toy he wants to add to his collection.”
Add to his collection. I was afraid Millie had hit the nail on the head. Richard didn’t care about the person I was or my wants and wishes. He wanted to possess me. He probably wasn’t above keeping me in a locked room. I shuddered at the thought.
When I emerged through the backstage door, Joe Palermo was there. And so was Richard. Richard started toward me, but before he got any closer, Joe stood in his way, body blocking him.
“Get out of my way,” Richard bleated. “She wants to come with me, I know she does.”
Joe only said, “No.”
“Please, Richard. Just…go. I don’t want you to get hurt.” I so wanted him to accept the inevitable, that I wasn’t going to be with him, now or ever.
“He won’t hurt me. He knows I‘ll sue the pants off him if he touches me.” Richard took another step forward, his tone belligerent.
“Don’t bet on it,” Joe told him in a low, controlled voice.
While Joe held Richard at bay, I headed for the limo Hunter had sent and slid into the back seat. I heard Joe say, “Stay away from her. Don�
��t come near her again.” Joe backed away, his eyes still on Richard as he climbed into the back seat next to me. I patted his knee. “Thanks, Joe.” I said. “I’m so sorry to drag you away from your family like this.”
“My wife understands. She says to tell you hello.”
“You’re good people. I don’t know what the Cameron family would do without you.”
“You’re been very good to us. Now don’t you worry about that…bast…idiot any more. He’s not going to bother you, not if I have anything to say about it.”
But Joe was wrong. Richard came to the backstage door every day for the rest of the show’s run. To top it all off, the tabloids began to run a smear campaign against me. For five days it went on. One article claimed I was Richard’s mistress and had broken up his marriage. Another article said I’d indulged in pornographic photography with Richard, and there were doctored pictures to prove it. When I tried to deny any of it, the rags claimed they had an unimpeachable source. I could only guess that the unimpeachable source was Richard. He was doing everything he could to destroy my career and make it impossible for me to act in a Broadway theater. He wanted me to come running to him. Like that was going to happen.
Then the two weeks were gone, and it was time for the show to close. Closing night was an emotional time for everyone, cast and crew alike with tears, hugs and congratulations. It was fun to watch the gal who had played Aida unwrap the little golden pyramid jewel box that was my memento gift to her. For the male star, I’d found a pair of cuff links that sported an etched hieroglyph. They both came and hugged me and wished me well. Everybody knew my situation, and down to the last crew member they supported me. We’d become close as stage casts do, working together every night to put on a show that was flawless.
Never again would we be all together like this. With a feeling of sadness, I gathered up my gifts and headed out with the gut feeling that I would never walk through this door again.
With my emotions still raw from all the goodbyes, I came out into the night air to find Joe holding Richard’s arms to his sides. After the emotional two hours I’d just spent saying goodbye to people I’d grown to love, this was intolerable. I marched up to the two of them and said, “Let go of him, Joe.” To his credit, he did as I asked.
“Listen to me you egomaniacal…snob. You’ve stood out here for two weeks, and for two weeks, I’ve walked by you. You’ve slandered me in the press. You’ve done everything you can to destroy my career. Can’t you see that by now I’ve come to hate you?”
“But that will make our love affair all the more exciting, you hating, me mastering your hate. Even now, you’re waiting for me to take you in my arms…”
“I’m swearing out a restraining order against you, Richard. If you come anywhere near me, you’ll wind up in jail. Do you understand?”
“I hear you say the words but you don’t mean them. We could be wonderful together…” He reached for me but I held up my hand like a traffic cop. “If I say the word, Joe will beat you to a pulp. Just listen to me. I don’t love you. I have no feeling for you at all, except distaste which is rapidly turning to hatred. Go home to your wife and leave me alone.”
With that I marched by him and scooted into the limo, saying, “Come on, Joe. It’s no use talking to an insane person.”
At that moment, Joe relaxed his guard thinking I was safe. Richard lunged forward and yanked me out of the car to gather me into his arms and crush my mouth with his. I struggled as hard as I could, but he held me in an iron grip and smashed his mouth against mine. From out of nowhere came a flash of light. A member of the paparazzi had caught this ridiculous kiss on film. After that, everything went crazy. Joe dragged me out of Richard’s arms and trundled me to the limo, locking the door. Then Joe ran after the photographer who’d disappeared around the corner. A moment later, Joe came back with the camera. He pushed Richard away from the car window where Richard leaned, trying to talk to me. Then Joe jumped in the car and our driver peeled out of the alley way.
“Joe, they’ll come after you for stealing.”
“No, they won’t. I sent a text to Hunter. He’s going to deliver a new camera minus the film, around to the guy’s apartment …with the stipulation that the photographer will not reproduce the picture digitally.”
This was a disaster. Having Richard stalking me had put Hunter at risk. I tried to think about what to do all the way home, but when Joe escorted me to my apartment door and left me, I still didn’t know what I was going to do.
Once inside my apartment, I got a text from Hunter, asking me if I was safely home. I sent a text back, telling him I was fine and apologizing that he was out the price of a camera.
His text said, “Small price to pay.”
But how many other prices would there be to pay? I paced my apartment, taking several turns around my white leather couch. We’d managed to keep the tabloid idiocy out of my mother’s sight. But how much longer could we hide the mess I was in? I had to think. I went out to the balcony doors and threw them open. The air was cool, but not unpleasant. City lights gleamed all over the city. I could see the white lights of Empire State Building. I had grown to love this city, the bustle, the energy, the excitement. Now, looking at the view, loving that I had finally made a success here, I knew what the solution to my dilemma was. I would leave, go someplace where Richard couldn’t find me. But once I did that, I could kiss my career goodbye.
It was so unfair. I’d worked so long, put up with so much. Auditions had been agonizing for me. Half the time I was too tall for the leading men. The Amneris role had been my first big breakthrough. Now, thanks to crazy man Richard, it looked as if it were going to be my last. Was I going to let him run me out of town and ruin my career? No, I was not. I was made of sterner stuff than that. I had three auditions lined up, auditions by invitation. Surely one of those would pan out.
But none of them did. At each audition, with Joe seated in the audience, I was thanked for coming and told I wasn’t right for the part. At my last unsuccessful audition, Joe and I were walking out of the theater when we were accosted by Alisha Haines, all sleek and stylish in a black Versace suit and red scarf.
“Rejected again, Ms. Cameron? What a shame. Yours is such a truly great talent.”
Joe moved to step between us, but I stopped him. This was my life and I was going to reclaim it. “What do you want?”
“I want you gone. I want you out of Richard’s life for good.”
“First of all, I was never in Richard’s life. And second, I’ve signed a restraining order. I can’t do much more than that.”
“Oh, yes, you can. You can disappear. And you will want to disappear. Because I’ve made sure that none of the major directors in town will work with you.”
I’d had a feeling that’s what had happened. Alisha had money of her own and had been a backer of several shows. After the horrible things that appeared in print about me, it wouldn’t have taken much for Alisha to suggest mine wasn’t a suitable image for a family-minded Broadway. Two of the directors I had auditioned for knew me, knew I was reliable and a good actress. They wouldn’t have rejected me so summarily. At this point, there really was only one thing to do. I held up my hands in a motion of surrender. “You’re right, Alisha. You’re absolutely right. This town is dead to me.”
She looked slightly taken aback that I would agree so readily. “You mean just like that, you’re leaving?”
“There are other theaters in the world, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco. I’ll find a place somewhere.”
She looked deflated, like she’d been set for a good fight and was disappointed when she didn’t get it. “May I ask when you’ll be leaving?”
“You may ask. You won‘t get an answer.” I brushed past her and said, “Come on, Joe. Someone in here has cigarette breath. But then, what else can you expect from a dragon?”
Joe laughed and pushed the door open for me. I walked out into the cool city air feeling freer than I had in a long tim
e.
Chapter 3
So I did what any sane, adult woman would do. I ran home to my mother. It was the first week in April as I stood outside the heavy walnut door to the house that Hunter had rebuilt. It was a crisp, cold day. Winter did not leave this city on Lake Ontario easily. I used my key and pushed the door open…to see Madeline toddling up to me and throwing her arms around my legs. “Auntie Lynne, Auntie Lynne. I waiting for you.”
This was exactly what I needed. I tossed down my carry-all and scooped her up in my arms. “Who is this big girl, anyway?” I brushed her dark curls back from her beautiful little face with those rosy cheeks. “Do I know you?”
She straightened away from me, her little face indignant. “You know me, Auntie Lynne. I Maddie.”
In front of me, Liz stood watching her daughter charm the socks off me. “She’s been waiting for you and she’s not really the patient type.”
I gave Madeline a squeeze and kissed her cheek. “You make the world a better place all by yourself.” This is what I’d come home for. A place to love and be loved. A place to heal. I hide the sudden tears that came to my eyes by burying my nose in Madeline’s sweet-smelling hair.
Justin swooped in and picked up my carry-all. “I’ll get this up to your old room, sis.”
I knew I was in trouble when Justin started being nice to me. Family, surrounding me with love and care. I saw my beautiful mother over Madeline’s shoulder. The expression on her face told me how worried she had been and how glad she was to have me home. With Madeline still in my arms, I walked into hers. “Hi, Mom,” I said. She managed to fit us both into her hug. “Hello, my darling daughter. I’m so glad you’re home.”
Mother leaned back away from me with tears in her eyes. “I’m all right, Mom, really I am. You shouldn’t worry so.”
“I’m your mother. I have a right to worry. You look…tired. Come into the kitchen and have a cup of tea.”
A Cowboy for Lynne: Cameron Family Saga Page 3
